GeForce 945M vs GeForce GTX 480M SLI

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

GeForce 945M vs GeForce GTX 480M SLI FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce 945M vs GeForce GTX 480M SLI: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GeForce 945M

2015

Why buy it

✅Draws 75W instead of 100W, a 25W reduction.
✅More future proof: Maxwell (2014−2017) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 480M SLI across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 2 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2015 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

GeForce GTX 480M SLI

2010

Why buy it

✅31.2% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs 512 MB).

Trade-offs

❌2010 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌33.3% higher power demand at 100W vs 75W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce GTX 480M SLI is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 31.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce 945M instead at 2,109 vs 2,050, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce 945M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 28nm process instead of 40nm and a newer 2015 generation instead of 2010. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce 945M makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. GeForce GTX 480M SLI still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce 945M vs GeForce GTX 480M SLI Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

GeForce 945M

The GeForce 945M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 27 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 928 MHz to 1020 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,109 points.

GeForce GTX 480M SLI

The GeForce GTX 480M SLI is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 25 2010. It features the Fermi architecture. The core clock speed is 425 MHz. It has 704 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,050 points.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce 945M scores 2,109 and the GeForce GTX 480M SLI reaches 2,050 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 945M is built on Maxwell while the GeForce GTX 480M SLI uses Fermi, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 640 (GeForce 945M) vs 704 (GeForce GTX 480M SLI).

Feature	GeForce 945M	GeForce GTX 480M SLI
G3D Mark Score	2,109+3%	2,050
Architecture	Maxwell	Fermi
Process Node	28 nm	40 nm
Shading Units	640	704+10%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce 945M	GeForce GTX 480M SLI
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce 945M has 512 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 480M SLI carries 2 GB. GeForce GTX 480M SLI gives you 300% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce 945M and 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 480M SLI.

Feature	GeForce 945M	GeForce GTX 480M SLI
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	2 GB+300%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	80 GB/s	Unknown
Bus Width	128-bit	128-bit

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Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce 945M) vs 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 480M SLI). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.0. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce 945M	GeForce GTX 480M SLI
DirectX	12 (11_0)	12 (11_0)
Vulkan	1.1	1.2+9%
OpenGL	4.6+15%	4.0
Max Displays	2	2

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Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Maxwell) (GeForce 945M) vs PureVideo HD VP4 (GeForce GTX 480M SLI). Decoder: PureVideo HD (VP6) vs PureVideo HD VP4. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,MPEG-2 (GeForce 945M) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GTX 480M SLI).

Feature	GeForce 945M	GeForce GTX 480M SLI
Encoder	NVENC (Maxwell)	PureVideo HD VP4
Decoder	PureVideo HD (VP6)	PureVideo HD VP4
Codecs	H.264,H.265,MPEG-2	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 945M draws 75W versus the GeForce GTX 480M SLI's 100W — a 28.6% difference. The GeForce 945M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 945M) vs 350W (GeForce GTX 480M SLI). Power connectors: Legacy vs 1x 6-pin. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 97°C.